Fed Ex expands Fresno ground operations

It may have looked like a typical groundbreaking, but the decision by Federal Express to expand its Fresno operations is seen by Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin as an economic barometer, forecasting an improving business climate.

Swearengin said, "This is a sign our local businesses are growing, they need help getting their products to market."

Expanding in the Central Valley was a no brainer for Fed Ex. Fed Ex officer Martin Daza notes trucks dispatched from Fresno can quickly reach any California resident and that's one out of every nine Americans.

Daza said, "From here we can service our customers to do overnight to the Bay Area and southern California."

In addition to the construction jobs the project is offering, Fed Ex will move its one hundred employees from its smaller ground facility in Malaga, and expects to add more. It's expected to trigger more jobs for Fed Ex contractors.

City Council Member Oliver Baines says it's a big boost for his district. "This means the opportunity for employment which beyond anything else is what we need in our economy right now."

The value of the new building will also increase property tax revenues for schools and local governments. The Mayor believes this expansion will encourage other major corporations to locate, or expand here.